Setting up my canisters...

[mrcrazypants05]

So yea I'm setting up my canisters I got today, but theres no biological media??? I have the Rena Filstar XP3's. I'm going to pick some up from petsmart today I guess... should've thought about it before, but I thought they would have came with atleast a little bit for the bacteria to colonize. Kind of lame if ya ask me.

oh and when I seed my filters with one of my bio pad things from my HOB filter from my other tank do I just sit it inside my 125 gallon or do I have to do anything special? And how long do I need to have it in there?

Thanks

 

[Jchillin]

Amazing but true. Sometimes it helps to read the package contents thoroughly or you can be in for a big surprise. 8O

You should place the seeded filter pad into the canister. You leave it in until the new tank is cycled or just leave it in until you start your maintenance regimen (filter rinsing, etc.).

 

[mrcrazypants05]

Just place it in the side of the inside of the canister?

 

[Jchillin]

I'm not familiar with the XP3, but it should go where the similar media would go (ie: sponge from your HOB should go in the assigned sponge area of the XP3).

 

[mrcrazypants05]

Mine wouldnt fit... I would have to cut it, and then I wouldnt be able to use it anymore. I have a cheap HOB that came with the 55gal kit from walmart. It's weird... It slides in...

 

[Jchillin]

From what you describe, it sounds like a filter pad w/plastic slide insert? This calls for another method.

Is this the only one that is in the filter? If it was, it wouldn't have made sense to sacrifice the established tank in this manner. You still have the option of just squeezing the filter pads "juice" onto the new filter pads (after being inserted and having been filled). Scoop some gravel out of your established tank, place in some filter bags or even pantyhose and drop in the new tank. Also, grab a couple of decorations (plastic plants, rocks, etc.) and drop them in as well.

This won't be as quick as the seeded sponge but works very well.

 

[mrcrazypants05]

I havent touched anything yet. Except for my canisters and heaters. Getting them ready and they work and everything. Letting them run and stuff. My HOB has 2 sides with filter media and a bacteria pad or whatever. So if I borrowed one from the established 55 I would still have one left in there.

 

[Jchillin]

Sounds good to me. All you would need to do then is replace the pad you used. It will get saturated pretty quickly.

 

[mrcrazypants05]

Well I'm going to put a couple of fake plants and gravel from my 55 gal in and I threw some fish food in the aquarium. How do you think I can add one of my bio media pads from my HOB to help with the seed?

 

[rich311k]

I would just trim it until it fits and stick the rest in.

 

[mrcrazypants05]

Alright thanks guys!

 

[greenmaji]

I personaly think it would be OK to afix the HOB pad to the ouput of the canister (so you dont have to break the canister apart to get it out later).. but that just might be a pain to do..

 

[mrcrazypants05]

I guess I was being careless and didnt even look at my Bio Media pads enough. The actual pad part of it comes out and I was able to stick that in my canister. So, I'll go pick up another slide in pad today to put back in my 55 gallon and that should get loaded back up pretty quickly, right? Anyway... I'm getting so anxious waiting for this whole 125gallon to get setup and cycled!

 

[mrcrazypants05]

just ran some tests...
ammonia - ~0.5
nitrites - 0
nitrates - 0
PH - 7.8

lets see how long it takes to start turning the ammonia into nitrites... Maybe I should go pick up some straight ammonia? Or do you think I'll be fine with the slightly larger pinch of fish food I threw in since I seeded with established media?

 

[cplawrence]

If you can find it, I prefer the pure ammonia method as it gives you more control. How long was it before you got an ammonia reading from the fish food? It seems that you will get the fastest bacterial growth with about 4 ppm of ammonia.

 

[mrcrazypants05]

I've heard more than 3ppm can stunt the bacterial growth... But I threw the fish food in last night at around 12 midnight and thats how much showed up this morning when I tested around 12 noon. I can test again here soon I suppose.